marvelhorrorfandomcom-20200214-history
Tomb of Dracula Vol 1 2
| cover date = May, 1972 | cover price = | publisher = Marvel Comics | editor-in-chief = Stan Lee | writers = Gerry Conway | pencilers = Gene Colan | inkers = Vince Colletta | cover artists = John Severin | colorists = Uncredited | letterers = Jon Costa | editors = Stan Lee | previous = ''Tomb of Dracula'' #1 | next = ''Tomb of Dracula'' #3 }} "The Fear Within!" is the second issue of the Tomb of Dracula comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The issue was written by Gerry Conway with artwork by Gene Colan and Vince Colletta. Cover illustration was provided by John Severin. John Costanza provided the lettering and the issue was edited by Stan Lee. The events of this issue take place several days after the events of issue #1. Frank Drake returns to Castle Dracula to steal Dracula's coffin. He believes that the vampire requires his coffin to survive. Dracula traces Drake back to London, England where the two have their second violent showdown. Plot Frank Drake hires a mute manservant named Gort and returns to Castle Dracula to find the vampire lord's coffin. They search the dungeons beneath the castle and recover the coffin, but it is empty. As Gort brings the coffin topside, Frank hears a plaintive cry from below. Clifton Graves is scrabbling in the Pit of Death amongst a pile of human bones. He has been trapped down there for days and is nearly mad. Frank helps him up and Clifton tells him that Dracula must have been saving him to feed upon later. Meanwhile, Dracula dines instead on the blood of a young village girl before paying a visit to a man from his past - Doctor Carl Von Harbou. Von Harbou, now an old man, was but a boy when he was first pressed into Dracula's service. Now the vampire lord calls upon his services again. He has Von Harbou use his medical skills to alter Dracula's pallor, making him appear less like a white wraith and more easily passable as human. Dracula however, has not forgotten past transgressions and recalls that Von Harbou betrayed when last they met. Harbou pays for his sins with his very life. A fortnight later, Frank and Clifton return to London with Dracula's coffin. Frank has made all of the necessary arrangements to get it through customs without arousing suspicion. They say good night to one another and Frank enters his hotel room. To his surprise, he finds his girlfriend Jeanie waiting for him. Frank is heartbroken for he knows that Jeanie is now a vampire. Clifton stumbles into his room, highly inebriated. Frank tries to warn Clifton away and proves that Jeanie is a vampire by thrusting a crucifix towards her. Meanwhile, Dracula has arrived in London. Though his mission is to reclaim his coffin, he also feels the need to satiate his bloodlust. He finds a young woman who reminds him of a barmaid from his breathing days and follows her into a pub. Dracula uses his charm to lull her into a false sense of security, but this only succeeds in incurring the wrath of the girl's boyfriend. Dracula has little patience for fools and even less for surly brutes who would dare to put their hands upon him. With a flick of his wrist, he strikes out at the man with his cane, sending him reeling. The girl, Ellie, leaves the pub and Dracula goes after her. Feeling no reason to hold back, he leaps upon her and drinks her blood. Back at the hotel, Frank manages to tie Jeanie up to a chair. Realizing that Frank is too willful to fall for her charms, she uses her newfound powers to entrance Clifton Graves. Clifton frees her and Frank is forced to knock him back with a punch to the face. Dracula bursts through the window and lunges at Frank Drake. As the two fight, Jeanie prepares to drink Clifton's blood. Frank's body is thrown into a piece of furniture next to them, shattering it. He picks up a sharp broken piece of wood and stabs Jeanie through the back with it. Dracula arcs towards them, but realizes that the sun is ready to rise and that he will have to forego his business with Frank Drake until another time. He turns into a bat and flies off. Beams of sunlight pour through the window reducing Jeanie to a pile of ash. Frank collapses to the floor and begins sobbing. Appearances Featured Characters: * Frank Drake Supporting Characters: * Clifton Graves Villains: * Dracula * Jeanie Other Characters: * Bart * Carl Von Harbou * Ellie * Gort Creatures: * Vampires Locations: * Romania :* Transylvania :* Castle Dracula * England :* London :* Big Ben Items: * Crucifix * Wooden stake Vehicles: * Passenger jet Notes & Trivia * This issue is reprinted in ''The Savage Return of Dracula'' #1, the Tomb of Dracula trade paperback, Essential Tomb of Dracula, Volume 1 and Tomb of Dracula Omnibus, Volume 1. * Storyline continues from the previous issue. * The tagline for this issue is "Who Stole My Coffin?" * This is one of the few issues of the series where the title "Tomb of Dracula" is actually used in the story. * Letterer John Costanza is credited as Jon Costa in this issue. See also External Links * Tomb of Dracula #2 at MDP * Tomb of Dracula #2 at Comics.org * Tomb of Dracula #2 at Comic Vine * Tomb of Dracula #2 at Comicbookdb.com ---- Category:Tomb of Dracula Vol 1 Category:1972 comic book issues Category:May, 1972 comic book issues Category:Chronologized Category:Issues with plot summaries